Nigel Slater: Sex on a plate

We have certain expectations of Valentine's Day. The least of which is getting supper. While some cooks prefer the hands-off approach of being wined and dined in a restaurant, some of us relish the prospect of making a meal for someone we love. And whether cunning, mischievous or just downright hopeful, there are few of us who won't be tempted to slip in an aphrodisiac or two.

I like to believe in the power of certain foods to evoke lust. But really, it's not what you eat that is sexy, it's the way you eat it. While some must ply their partners with oysters and asparagus to guarantee attention, others need do nothing more than slowly lick a stray crumb from their lower lip. Sure, the way Ally McBeal sips her travelling cappuccino with her bee-stung lips is bordering on the X rated, but if her altogether cooler pal Ling Woo was to do it, we may well be into the realms of pay per view. Bluntly, you have either got it or you haven't.

Those who fall into the latter may be grateful for help from the larder or the vegetable rack this coming Thursday. The list of aphrodisiac foods is longer than you might think, but they fit loosely into one of three categories. Those that contain natural stimulants such as the phenylalanine in chocolate, those that are sensuous in the mouth such as oysters and ripe figs, and those to which legend is attached. While chillies and ginger firmly get my vote, others swear by broad beans and brazil nuts. I have heard applause too for avocados (phenylalanine again) and porridge (oats are thought to raise testosterone levels). Yet studies by Dr Alan Hirch at the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago have shown that nothing gets a guy up like the smell of freshly baked pumpkin pie.

Cardamom does it for some - and with good reason. The little black seeds contain not only two androgens (the hormones that increase sexual desire in men) but cineole, a compound known to stimulate the central nervous system. Ginger, a close relative, is the food world's Viagra. I only found this out recently, long after I took to putting a slice in my early-morning hot water and lemon. True, I had been feeling a warm glow, but hadn't made the connection. Fortunately scientists now have. Forget sirloin - you really can't go wrong with chillies and ginger.

If you are looking for a small gift to go with that bunch of flowers, then you couldn't do better than with a copy of Venus in the Kitchen , Norman Douglas's little pink book of aphrodisiac recipes. Written in the early 50s, it has just been republished (£9.99, Bloomsbury).

Venus in the Kitchen is an eccentric, charming and frivolous book. The recipes make amusing reading if not always a good supper. There is the expected involvement of oysters and anchovies and, more worryingly, snails. The latter being boiled with broth and mushrooms or coated in breadcrumbs. Other entries are bizarre: a young crane simmered with honey, lovage and cumin; suckling pig with eels; leopard's marrow cooked in goat's milk; and a dish called Celery à la Popoff, which presumably isn't a starter.

Body parts are rampant. There's sheep's ears and sparrows' brains, frogs' legs and goose kidneys, and as you might expect, there are lots of testicles. These are cooked to a recipe by Bartolomeo Scappi, who was the private cook to Pope Pius V. Quite why His Holiness was need of an aphrodisiac is something on which it is probably best not to dwell. The truly perplexing 'brain of fried beep' promised in the index is, sadly, nothing more than a typo for calves' brains, but the recipe for Marmalade of Carnations should be useful for anyone who didn't like their flowers.

Truth told, I suspect few of us actually want aphrodisiacs even if they did exist. I sometimes wonder what the opposite might be and where one can get it. I suppose a heavy pudding might put out the fire. If you do fancy a pud, then I would go for something you can share from the same bowl. Soppily romantic, I know, but who cares? Pavlova with its layers of meringue, cream and passion fruit would be a pleasure beyond compare, though for my money I'd rather have a bowl of vanilla ice cream drizzled with warm chocolate sauce. That way we have the option of eating it at the table, or perhaps taking it upstairs with us. Then at least one of us will be able to say, 'The dessert's on me.'

Thai green vegetable curry

Chillies, ginger and spices here. Sometimes you just can't fail. You may have to take a trip to a big-name supermarket - bottled lemongrass and lime leaves have little going for them - but this is fun cooking and great eating. It is both fiery and soothing, the chillies being cooled by the coconut milk, and is at once invigorating and luxurious. With two of you peeling, seeding and chopping, the prep is soon done. Serves 3.

1 small pumpkin or squash 4 small aubergines (or 8 small egg-shaped ones or 2 whoppers) 2-3 tbsps groundnut oil 8 medium mushrooms or rather more buttons 400ml coconut milk 400ml stock (Marigold bouillon is fine) green peppercorns, fresh if you can find them a handful of coriander leaves a handful of Thai basil leaves

To serve:

boiled Thai or basmati rice

Whizz the curry-paste ingredients in a food processor till you have a vivid, spicily fragrant slush.

Peel and roughly chop the pumpkin or squash. Cut the aubergines lengthwise into quarters and then into fat chunks (small round ones can be simply quartered). Fry them in the oil - a deep frying pan will suffice - until both pumpkin and aubergine are softening, then add the mushrooms. The heat should be quite high, as the vegetables need to brown here and there. Spoon in about 4 tbsps of the paste (more can be added later but it is too early to taste yet) and let it fry and sizzle. Stir so it doesn't stick.

Pour in the coconut milk and stock, scatter in the green peppercorns, and leave to simmer until the vegetables are fully tender. Taste the curry, adding a little more paste if you think it needs it, in which case you will have to cook it for a few minutes longer. Either way, it should be ready within 10 minutes. Scatter the herbs over and serve with the rice.

Vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce

Make your own ice cream if you wish, but I don't think this is the time to be precious. Hopefully, none of us will have the time anyway. Serves 2.

4 balls of very best vanilla ice cream 250g fine plain chocolate 2 tsps strong black coffee (espresso is ideal) 300ml whipping cream a knob of butter about the size of a walnut

Break the chocolate into small pieces so that it melts easily. Put it into a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the coffee and the cream. Heat slowly, stirring from time to time, until the chocolate has melted. It is essential that the heat is kept low.

Once the chocolate is softened, stir until smooth, then stir in the butter and pour into a warm jug. Serve warm with ice cream.